Morris Williams Miles

Time: 81:00
Distance: 12 mi.

Target: 4 x 1 mile starting around 5:00 and dropping, 3:00 rest
Workout: 5:02.6, 4:53.2, 4:50.0, 4:51.5

Luckily my flight out of Austin wasn't until late morning, so I had time to meet the Texas team for another workout. Coach Hayes had the guys doing mile repeats over at the Morris Williams golf course, which was in the realm of what I wanted to do this week and definitely better than doing something on my own. He mapped out a hilly mile loop on the course and I was surprised how good I felt in general hitting all of these intervals. I ran with Jake, Victor, Kyle who ran six miles and Jacob who did four.

Warming up my right hamstring was very tight again and I felt it right away in the workout. I would've liked to get after it and see if I could run the last two (which the guys hit in 4:47, 4:43) but my stride was starting to get off as my leg and hip got pretty tight. A flatter loop would've been more ideal for this, but I like the idea of running hilly miles.

Longhorn Fartlek

Time: 84:00
Distance: 12.5 mi.

Target: 6-8 x 1k or 3:00 fartlek, w/3:00 jogging rest
Workout: 6 x 3:00 w/3:00 jogging rest

I met the guys at the track to crash their workout. My options this week were to run something with a little less recovery than I would've liked, or to do it alone. I opted for the former, as I'm sick of working out by myself. The original plan was to hit Morris Williams for measured 1ks, but there was a golf tournament (?!) so we headed to a trail near a housing development across the street and turned it into a fartlek. We worked into it, and by the 3rd and 4th ones, we were running fairly hard. I was beat and dehydrated from the heat and travel yesterday. Some of the guys went all the way through 8 of them, but I was definitely ready to be done at 6.

Morris Williams 1ks, Track 300s

Time: 60:00
Distance: 9 mi.

Target: 2 x 1k at "2:25 is too fast and 2:55 is too slow"; 6 x 300m in 50 sec. with 100m rest in 25 sec. (7:30 for 1.5 mi.)
Workout: 2:44, 2:36; 300s between 46-49, 7:20 for 1.5 mi.

A good workout moving the legs a bit faster without going to the well. The second 1k was definitely hard for me, but I think that feeling that faster pace was important. The 300s went fine... the easiest they've felt all season.

Right hamstring still tight, but not too bad.

Morris Williams Hills, 300s

Time: 90:00
Distance: 13.5 mi.

Target: 16 steady to hard hills; 6 x 300m in ~48 sec with 100m rest in ~25 sec (~7:20-25 total)
Workout: 16 hills from 42 down to 35ish?; 300s from 48-49 down to 46 (7:26 total)

An okay workout, but I was feeling a little off of it on both the hills and the 300s (especially the last one that the guys blazed). Tried to keep under control on the hills, which meant getting dropped a little bit up and then catching up across the top of the hill. These are never my best workouts, and both hamstrings were very tight so I wanted to make sure not to over do it.

Morris Williams Speed Play

Time: 56:00
Distance: 8.5 mi.

Target: 3 sets of 3:00 (1:00) :30 (2:00) - long intervals at just under 3 min 1k pace and short intervals in about 32 sec 200m pace
Workout: Ran decently hard together and felt good, completed the fartlek


Morris Williams Golf Course

A chilly and clear morning in Austin. Got up early to finish an exam and while I was pretty tired heading to the workout, I'm happy to be done with everything up to Big 12s. Did the fartlek approximately on the 1k loop that we've used earlier in the season which at least gave us an idea how hard we were running... from what I could tell we were just about on the target pace. Everyone ran together well. Stomach continues to be an issue, but I was able to run through it fine.

Morris Williams 1ks, Track 300s

Time: 95:00
Distance: 15 mi.

Target: 9 x 1k in 3:00-3:05 with 60 sec rest; 6 x 300m in 50 sec. with 100m rest in 25 sec. (7:30 for 1.5 mi.)
Workout: First in 3:09, middle 7 were 3:01-3:03, last was 2:57; 300s in 49-51, 7:29 total

Very good day... just the right effort and we were running together well. The 1ks were all very under control, and after the first few we settled in and found a good rhythm (I've gotten pretty good at getting us right on it and took control in the third one). Had no problem recovering in 60 sec... legs felt a little dead, though, still probably a result of going hard on the hills on Sunday. The 300s on the track were also under control, and we were together well. Legs (esp. calves) pretty tight by the end... we were in flats for the 1ks and spikes for the 300s.


Myers Stadium

I very much like finishing up with the 300s on the track... keep the legs from getting the lethargic feeling I sometimes get after tempos and longer interval workouts.

Morris Williams 1ks, Track 300s

Time: 89:00
Distance: 14.5 mi.

Target: 8 x 1k with the first and last quicker and the middle ones about 3:05-07 and 75-90 sec. rest; 6 x 300m in 52 with a quick 100m jog
Workout: 2:55, 3:06, 3:00, 3:05, 3:03, 3:06, 3:04, 2:45 (avg. 3:00) and rest about 80 sec. for all; 52.6, 52.7, 51.5, 52.3, 51.5, 48.5 (avg. 51.5)

Great workout... headed over to Morris Williams to hit 8 x 1k on a relatively flat loop. Felt strong from the get-go and under control the whole way. We're running together as well as (probably better than) we have since I've been at Texas. Very humid, but the cool weather continues, which keeps things bearable. Calves a bit sore after getting 7.5 miles in flats (and doing hills Wednesday) but got them flushed after.

On an unrelated note (unrelated because these things seem to have very little connection to reality, as we went from 5th to unranked to 24th and then finished 7th during the course of last season) we've entered the season ranked 9th.

Morris Williams Hills, Track Tempo

Time: 104:00
Distance: 15.5 mi.

Target: 16 steady to hard hills; 3 mile tempo at 5:05 pace
Workout: 16 hills, 42 down to 34 sec.; 3 miles in 14:55

Unlike yesterday, this was a beautiful morning for a workout. The skies were a little overcast and the temp was a balmy mid-70s. Easy 20 minutes over to Morris Williams to do 16 hills (increase of 4 from last week), which felt decent though I was missing a little bit of "pop" in my legs (probably from running a hilly run yesterday evening). Ran back for 3 miles on the track, and I recovered very quickly from the hills. Five minute pace felt very good, and I was happy to get in flats and work my calves a bit. Definitely a better workout than last week for pretty much everyone. Felt very relaxed.

Got a general massage in the evening, which was nice... some work on hamstrings, IT bands and piriformises.

Morris Williams Hills, Track Tempo

Time: 90:00
Distance: 14 mi.

Target: 12 steady to hard hills; 2 mile tempo at 5:05 pace
Workout: 12 hills, 40 down to 35 sec.; 2 miles in 9:59 (5:00, 4:59)

The good ole' tuesday morning workout. Ran from the track down to the Morris Williams Golf Course (just about 3 miles), ran 12 hills there, and headed back to the track for 2 miles in just over 5 min pace. Started off feeling pretty stiff and sore from the strength workout yesterday afternoon and only loosened up a little bit. Adducters and hip flexors on both legs are pretty sore, as well as both arms. Other than that I felt pretty good. Most of the guys ran really well together, which was good to see.

Tuesdays are a little tough because I have a 9am class that I need to rush to, so no stretching or therapy right after the workout. I was still feeling sore after class, so I headed back to Moncrief to contrast bath.